Bag filling machine



Feb. 4, 1936. w.- M. MCNEIL 2,029,733

' BAG FILLING MACHINE Filed April-27, 1951 INVENTOR M lLL/HM M. Mc/Vsu...

ATTORN EY Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAG FILLING MACHINE Application April 27, 1931, Serial No. 533,093

6 Claim.

This invention relates to an apparatus for filling bags or other containers, and has reference more particularly to an adjustable apparatus for filling bags having a valve opening.

In filling valve bags, it is common usage to place the opening of the bag over a filling nozzle with the bottom of the bag resting on a supporting frame which is attached to a scale beam for controlling the weight of the material placed in each bag. The desired weights are supported on one end of the scale beam and, when the weight of the material in the bag exceeds such weights, the supply of material is automatically cut off. Hitherto no satisfactory means has been found whereby the bag filling nozzle might be adjusted horizontally or vertically without producing the undesirable condition caused by the escape of powdered materials such as lime into the room in which the bags are filled. This condition is detrimental to the health of the workers who manipulate the machine as well as constituting a substantial waste of material.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a valve bag filling machine having an adjustable filling nozzle; a means of collecting powdered materials escaping during the bag filling operation and to improve bag filling machines in other respects hereinafter specified and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a bag filling machine,

Fig. 2 is a front sectional elevation of a bag filling machine taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a section of a bag filling nozzle taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a bag filling nozzle taken on line 4-4 of Fig. l.

The bag filling machine shown is a standard type and comprises a scale fulcrum I on which is supported a scale beam 8 and a weight 80;. A bag support 9 is pivotally supported on one end of the beam 8, and a bag chair III is adjustably mounted on the bag support 9 by means of bolts extending through said bag chair Ill and through vertical slots I2 formed in the bag support 9. A bag frame I3 supports said support 9 and is connected at the upper end thereof to a rod I4 by means of a pivot bolt I5 which allows a free oscillating movement of the frame I3. The other end of rod I4 is pivotally attached to a bracket I5 on a hopper H by means of a bolt I8.

A stud I9 is attached to said frame l3 and engages a catch 2|! secured to a tappet 2|, the latter being pivotally attached to the bracket I6 by means of a bolt 22. A latch 23 is also pivotally mounted on the bolt 22 and is provided with a slot 24 engaging a pin 25 secured to the tappet 2 I. The latch 23 is provided with a latch shoulder 26 which normally engages with the upper end of a slide operating lever 21, the latter being pivoted on pin 28. Upon release of the latch 20 from stud I9 by the weight of the filled bag depressing the beam 8 and frame I3, the latch shoulder 23 is disengaged from the lever 21 and the latter swings downwardly about pin 28 under the action of gravity and a spring 29. Spring 29 is anchored by means of bolt 30 and hook 3| to a bracket 32. A hook 33 on the other end of said spring 29 engages a slide 34 which passes through a. bag filling casing 35 and is pivotally attached to slide operating lever 21 by means of bolt 36. An opening 31 in said slide allows the passage of the filling material through a passage 38 in said casing 35 during the filling operation.

A filling spout or nozzle 39 is adjustably secured to a flange 40 formed on the frame I3, by means of a collar 4| welded or otherwise secured to the spout 39. Bolts 42 extend through the flange 40 and are threaded into the collar 4 I. Set screws 43 are threaded into the fiange 40 and their ends press against the collar 4| so as to position the inner end of spout 39 in accurate sliding contact with the casing 35 adjacent the passage 38. A passage 44 in the spout 39 registers with the passage 38 and permits a. power driven ejecting wheel 45 rotatably mounted in casing 35, to eject the powdered material through the passages 33 and 44 into the bag supported on the spout 39. A bag-holding spring 46 is provided with an integral collar 41 which is secured by a bolt 48 in an annular groove 49 formed on the spout 39. A star feeder 50 feeds the powdered material to the ejecting wheel 45 at a uniform rate. The material feeds into the bag through discharge opening 390. formed in the spout 39. Handle 2 la. is used to reset the machine after a bag is filled.

One of the salient features of my invention comprises a hood 5| which encloses the sliding junction between the casing 35 and the spout 39. A slot 52 is formed in said hood adjacent the spout 39 to permit the limited oscillation of said spout required during the operation of the filling machine. The hood 5| is rigidly secured to the casing 35 by means of screws 53, and is connected at its lower end to a duct 54 which in turn is connected to a manifold 55 leading along several filling machines. A suction or exhaust fan and cyclone separator, not shown, are connected to the manifold 55 to draw away under vacuum any dust escaping at thespout junctions during the operation of the filling machines.

In the operation of my improved bag filling machine, the powdered material to be placed in the bags flows into the hopper I1 and is delivered by the star feeder '50 to the ejecting wheel 45, insuring a steady flow of material from hopper I! to the bag filling nozzle 39 through the passages 38 and 44. Any material which escapes from nozzle 39 at the sliding junction, is drawn into hood 5| by means of the fan not shown, and is carried to the cyclone separator and discharge bin through manifold 55. The bag to be filled rests on bag chair III which is adjusted to the desired height by means of bolt II in vertical slot l2, and is held at the top on spout 39 by means of the bag-holding spring 46. When the desired weight of material has been deposited in the bag, the weight of the bag on support 9 overbalances the weight 8a and lowers the scale beam 8. The downward movement of bag support 9 releases stud l9 from catch 20 of tappet 2|. The tappet falls and releases latch shoulder 26 from contact with slide-operating lever 21, allowing said lever 21 to fall, aided by spring 29 attached to said lever by means of slide 34. The supply of filling material passing through the opening 31 in said slide is thus suddenly cut oil and the filled bag may be removed and replaced by an empty bag. Cut-oil lever handle 2la is then moved upwardly to re-set the machine in its original position.

I would state in conclusion that, while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself precisely to these details, since manifestly, the same may be considerably varied without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a valve bag filling machine, means for supporting the bag in an approximately vertical position, a source of supply from which said bag is filled with material, means for automatically cutting off said supply of material when said bag is filled, an adjustable nozzle leading from the source of supply to the bag opening and 'slidably associated with said cut-off means, and a flange engaging said nozzle and adapted to be so adjusted so as to adjust said nozzle and its sliding clearance with said cut-off means.

2. In a valve bag filling machine, means for supporting the bag, a weighing means for measuring the amount of material entering the bag, a casing having means for feeding a uniform supply of filling material to said bag, means for rial, means for automatically cutting off said supply, an adjustable nozzle leading from the source of supply to the container and slidably associated with said cut-off means, and a flange secured to said nozzle and adapted to be so adjusted so as to adjust said nozzle and the sliding clearance thereof with said cut-off means.

4. In anapparatus for filling containers, means for supporting the container, means of measuring the amount of material entering said container, a source of supply from which said container is filled with powdered material, means for automatically cutting ofi' said supply of material, an adjustable nozzle leading from the source of supply to the container and divided into two distinct parts placed .insliding relation to each other, a flange encircling said nozzle and adapted to be so adjusted so as to move said nozzle for controlling the sliding clearance, and a hood formed around and enclosing said nozzle at the point of severance to prevent the escape of material which sifts out of said nozzle at said point of severance.

5. In an apparatus for filling containers, a weighing means :for supporting a container, means for supplying a uniform flow of material to said container, means for automatically cutting off the supply of material, an adjustable and slidable .nozzle leading from the source of supply to said container, a flange encircling said nozzle and adapted to be so adjusted so as to move said nozzle relative to said cut-off means, and means operating under vacuum for recovering any material passing said nozzle at the sliding junction :of said nozzle with said container.

6. In an apparatus adapted for filling valved bags, an oscillating nozzle arranged to support a container to be filled, filling means in sliding contact with said nozzle for feeding powdered material through said nozzle into said container, and a hood formed around said nozzle adjacent the sliding junction of said filling means and said nozzle, said hood being provided with a slot in which the nozzle is permitted to oscillate, said hood being arranged to operate under .suction and collect any powdered material escaping at said sliding contact- WILLIAM M. McNEIL. 

